SLP / From page 6
Eden Prairie / From page 7
Minnetonka / From page 8
Hopkins / From page 10
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Page 24 Fall Football Preview • Thursday, August 28, 2025
Kennedy /
From page 3
and it’ s hard to get off your breakdown. It’ s a lot of switching directions.”
Kelly said the reward will come once they return to the turf field, where they can showcase their speed.“ I think it’ s a pretty good training ground for our linemen.”
After graduating many impactful players from last season, Moffitt said the bulk of the summer workouts were spent bringing the underclassmen and new players up to speed with the nuances of the Kennedy program, including the WIN acronym: What’ s Important Now.
“ That’ s been a good thing that has stuck with us now through camp,” Kelly said.
He is also excited to take part in the annual Saturday morning multiple-team scrimmages. Kennedy was invited to play at Albert Lea High School, joining some smaller but powerful programs around southern Minnesota and a couple of Iowa schools.
Kelly said he likes facing tougher competition and hopes to take on bigger players.
As part of the summer training, the U. S. Army and Marine Corps conducted separate weeks of
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training sessions to push players physically and mentally, while also helping them work together as a unit.
The special programs brought out more than 30 teammates who learned what is possible when they work together.
That mentality will go a long way, as many players will see key minutes on both sides of the ball.
Williams said they had to work around the stadium construction. Still, everyone was up to the challenge, with up to 45 kids participating in summer weightlifting, cardio and speed workouts.
Facing Jefferson for the
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first time under Williams adds even more motivation, knowing the game will be played at Kennedy’ s new stadium instead of the one both teams shared last season.
Aside from being the visitor in the rivalry game, Kelly has history going back to third grade, when he played alongside some of Jefferson’ s current players.
Williams had a busy spring, also serving as head coach of the girls flag football team, which advanced to the state tournament in June.
“ The energy with both groups is good, but it is a different game,” he said.
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“ The girls are much more coachable and hungry to learn. That’ s what I’ m looking for from the boys now.“
We want kids who are hungry to learn and ask questions, rather than going out there and looking to see what their teammates are doing.”
Facing some familiar faces in the crosstown rivalry game will be a fitting way to mark the end of the regular season Oct. 15 at Jefferson.
Kennedy remains in the Northstar District but relocates to the East-Gold subdistrict, joining traditional opponents like Jefferson and St. Louis Park
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sailor. mnsun. com
while adding unfamiliar foes such as Cretin-Derham Hall, Mahtomedi and Tartan.
The Eagles will face St. Louis Park at the Vikings’ practice facility, the TCO Performance Center in Eagan, in a Week 2 matchup set for 7 p. m. Sept. 4, as part of the Vikings Prep Spotlight. Each season, the Vikings host two high school games. Two Harbors and Duluth Denfeld will play the next night, Sept. 5. In 2023, Richfield played Hill-Murray, and in 2022, Jefferson and Chanhassen closed out the regular season with the Storm winning 35-21.
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SLP / From page 6
and juniors Finn Shepard and Evan Jacobson, who can play multiple spots along the line. Foster said both move well and are aggressive, which will be handy in allowing the offense time to find holes to run the ball or for receivers to get open.
The Orioles will feature an all-new defensive line.
McCarren said the bond among the team was key as they graduated a big class, creating opportunities for the next generation to step in and contribute as soon as possible.
“ We’ ve done a lot of team-building stuff to build up the camaraderie to get that connection with the people you need to stand beside you and help us win games,” McCarren said.
The multi-sport teammates give those who play together, regardless of the season, an extra level of commitment and buy-in that translates to the playing field, including football.
O’ Dea, who sees eye-toeye at 6-foot-5 with Arnold but weighs in at about 230, is a standout pitcher, first baseman and outfielder for the baseball team. On the football side, O’ Dea uses his size to not only catch passes but also open up running lanes in support of a younger offensive line. Look for O’ Dea to also contribute as a defensive end and the Orioles’ Long Snapper.
“ We all play together and it’ s good to build that connection all year through,” O’ Dea said.“ Football is all about trust, and if you can trust the guy next to you while you are doing your assignment, we should be successful,” O’ Dea said.
When asked about having a 6-5 target like O’ Dea on the field, Everrett said it makes his job easier.“ Just put it into the vicinity and he’ ll go get it.”
“ You take what you learn from those other teams and coaches and try to bring that over here and also learn new stuff,” McCarren said.
Due to reassignments in districts, Park is now part of the Northstar East-Gold Subdistrict, joining Bloomington Jefferson, Bloomington Kennedy, Cretin-Derham Hall, Mahtomedi and Tartan.
Eden Prairie / From page 7
good long snapper. And he can play quarterback and linebacker.”
Senior Harrison Serk, the Eagles’ senior kicker, had a good first week of practice.“ He put every kick-off into the end zone,” coach Grant said.
Eden Prairie has one of the toughest schedules in the state again this year. The Eagles were above. 500 at 6-4 last fall and could be better this year.
First on the schedule for the Eagles is meeting with state Class 6A semifinalist Anoka at 7 p. m. Thursday, Aug. 28, at EP’ s Aerie Stadium.
Minnetonka / From page 8
defense with the graduation of key playmakers Malachi Boadi, Caleb Taylor, AJ Fider, Dylan Hudgens, Jack Yerhot and Aidan Becker. Pride in wearing the black Minnetonka defense practice jerseys will motivate juniors and seniors to step into starting assignments.
Coach Esch is pleased with the junior class overall and expects the junior wide receivers to be impact players from the start.
Minnetonka opens the season at 7 p. m. Thursday, Aug. 28, against East Ridge at Minnetonka’ s Einer Anderson Stadium.
“ East Ridge has made it to the state quarterfinals several times in the last five years,” coach Esch said.“ They’ re a well-coached team, and we have to be ready.”
The next two games of the season are perhaps the toughest back to back tests with defending state champion Maple Grove on the Crimson’ s home turf Sept. 5 and a home game against Edina Sept. 12.
“ Our schedule reminds me of the old days when we’ d play top-10 teams in the state three or four weeks in a row,” coach Grant said.“ It’ s such a cliché, but we’ ll take it week by week. To contend for the state championship, you have to be good enough, avoid injuries and have the ball bounce your way. Any time you’ ve got everyone healthy for the whole year, you’ ve got a chance.”
Hopkins / From page 10
physical strength by spending time in the weight room.
“ My best positions are defensive line or linebacker,” Givance said at practice last week.“ Anything on the defensive side of the ball.”
On offense, Givance can provided impressive blocking at either fullback or tight end.
Pollen, an All-Lake wrestler and state qualifier last winter, can play in the offensive and defensive lines.“ Edge rusher is my favorite position,” he said.
The Royals have a host of new players on varsity this year along with some other veterans who had playing time last season.
The schedule for Hopkins is similar to the one from last season.
However, the opener will be one of the toughest tests for the year with Edina coming to Hopkins High Stadium Thursday, Aug. 28.